


It's funny how a memory turns into a bad dream

by spunkyghost



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Dark Shrine of Memory - except something goes wrong :), F/M, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Infidelity, Memory Loss, Platonic Relationships, Sebastian is not handling this well, warnings at the beginning of each chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:35:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23441818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spunkyghost/pseuds/spunkyghost
Summary: "As you took off your snow-covered boots, your eyes trailed from your feet to the shoes that laid strewn across the floor. Your heart dropped as you recognized the black combat boots that surely belonged to a certain violet-haired girl. It just about broke when you saw the messily tossed clothes that followed it right after.Time seemed to stop in that moment."---A story of heartbreak and trying to forget and move on, but not in the way one would suggest.
Relationships: Abigail/Sebastian (Stardew Valley), Sam/Female Player (Stardew Valley), Sebastian (Stardew Valley)/Reader, Sebastian/Female Player (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 21
Kudos: 132





	1. Chapter 1 [pt. 1]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! It's been a while since I wrote a fic :') please be patient with me!
> 
> If you're acquainted with the witch's hut, I think you can see where I'm going with this. I got inspired after completing the dark talisman quest and the song "Moral of the Story" by Ashe! Definitely recommend giving it a listen
> 
> End goal is still Sebastian/reader!
> 
> **warnings** : cheating/implied infidelity, panic attacks

You raised your sword again, bringing it up over your head before finally striking it down on the unsuspecting cave bug that was flitting across the air. The sound of its body becoming mangled by your weapon echoed throughout the walls - an unpleasant squishing noise that caused you to scrunch your face up in disgust. Despite how grossed out you were by seeing its crumpled corpse, you still picked up a piece of its slimy, pink colored flesh and stuffed it into your backpack. 

_Don’t think about how gross this is. Just remember you can use it for bait. Waste not, want not._ You reminded yourself through gritted teeth, feeling its moist texture in your hands.

Your body was exhausted and beaten. You’d been making your way down the mines nearly the whole day, on New Year’s no less, continuing the grind you had set upon yourself a few days ago. Truth be told, you weren’t interested in the mines at all. You didn’t care for what they held or the resources they contained - not even in the slightest.

All the materials that you _did_ need, like coal or gold, you bought from the blacksmith himself. Support your local businesses, right?

Sure, while slaving away and risking your life far below the earth would be easier on your wallet, you couldn’t bring yourself to face the dangers that came with it.

At least until now of course.

The entire first year you were here, you’d only hover around the first level to pick up any stone you could get your hands on. Now, you’re getting close to reaching level 40. Your heartbeat quickens at the thought in both fatigue and excitement as you near your goal. You really hoped you’d be able to make it to the Frozen Earth area before it got too late. 

Recently, in a book that Sam had lent you to read, you found an old holiday shopping list of his that he left as a page marker. It was there that you discovered that one of Sebastian’s favorites, besides sashimi, were frozen tears.

Puzzled, but happy with this new information, you turned to the museum to find out what the hell they were and where to get them. With the help of Gunther, you knew what your plans were for the rest of the year as you prepared your descent into the mines.

Your relationship with your husband admittedly hasn’t been the greatest. There’s definitely been some tension. When you were dating, it felt like the both of you were on cloud-nine. It was like you were attached at the hip. However, after getting married, ‘honeymoon phase’ became a well acquainted term in your dictionary. Of course there were still happy moments that were shared between the both of you.

You just can’t help but feel that Sebastian probably wasn’t ready for the stress that he would encounter while living on the farm. His previous job had consisted of nothing more than lines of coding. Now, he had so much more on his plate - so many more responsibilities.

It had gotten to him a bit, causing him to become more silent as the days pressed on. The raven haired man would smile a little less, and it’s been a while since you heard more than a small chuckle rather than his usual boisterous laugh you would get when you’d make a dumb joke.

It’s not like he loved you any less. You could tell he was trying. Still, you took notice of how he’d linger in bed much longer in the mornings, and how he’d started to go to sleep first without waiting for you to return or even a ‘goodnight’ beforehand.

With the aid of the tear shaped gem, you hoped you’d be able to fan the flames of your marriage with the little gift. You already planned a speech on how much he means to you and that you’re appreciative of his efforts on trying to adjust to his new life as the farmer’s husband. Maybe you’d even surprise him with something else…

“Get your head outta the gutter! Focus!” Your cheeks flushed as your mind wandered off the task at hand. You gripped your pickax harder and continued to smash at the rocks and boulders that surrounded you, desperately looking for a ladder that would lead you to the floor you needed. 

Frustrated at the lack of your success, and not wanting to waste anymore energy, you opted to use some cherry bombs to clear what you couldn’t. You retrieved the small red explosives from your bag and littered them across the cave floor. Seeking protection behind a nearby wall, you waited for their hiss and eventual explosion before peaking your head out. Bits of rock and copper ore were scattered from the small blasts to which you happily collected for later use. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted it. The ladder that you needed to take you to the next area finally greeted your tired face. You beamed with joy as you practically skipped over to it. Carefully making it down each rung of the ladder, you hopped off the last step onto the solid ground and brushed the dirt from your overalls. The familiar _ding!_ from the elevator beside you was music to your ears.

“Alright,” you slowly breathed out, mustering up what remaining strength you had as you looked at the next entrance to the 41st floor. “Onto the next.”

\----

Despite feeling as if you were on the verge of collapsing, you found yourself all giddy and giggly as if you had just won the lottery. After you had progressed to the next area, you found yourself challenged by even more hostile creatures. They gave you trouble, for sure, but you ended victoriously with only being left with a few gashes here and there. You didn’t mind if they left scars after healing since you managed to make it out with a handful of frozen tears. They’d be able to serve as your little reminder for your efforts for love, you laughed to yourself.

You just couldn’t believe that you managed to snag so many. They were all so pretty! In the moonlight, the gems glittered brightly. Each small step you took caused them to bump into each other in your cupped hands, emitting a noise that sounded like soft twinkling.

You decided that the biggest one was to be his New Year’s gift, or well, _late_ New Year’s since it was already pushing past 2 a.m, and that maybe you’d get Emily to help you make the rest into a nice necklace or something. A little treat for yourself, too.

As much as you enjoyed staring at the little gems, the winter air was starting to make your fingers sting from the cold. You quickly pocketed the frozen tears and continued trudging your way back to your home through the piled snow.

The torches you set up on your wooden fences were dimly visible from afar as you neared the farm. You shivered from the wind chill and cursed yourself for leaving only with but a light swear, your overalls, and some winter boots. With your teeth now chattering, you sped walked to your front door and carefully pulled it open, not wanting to make a sound in case Sebastian was already sound asleep.

The house was dark and quiet aside from the floorboards that would creak on occasion from the strong drafts from outside. You softly shut the door behind you and flicked on one of the lamps in the living room before setting your backpack and tools on the table. The lamp emitted a warm light but didn’t bright up the room too much, just enough for your eyes to adjust from the dark. 

As you took off your snow-covered boots, your eyes trailed from your feet to the shoes that laid strewn across the floor. Your heart dropped as you recognized the black combat boots that surely belonged to a certain violet-haired girl. It just about broke when you saw the messily tossed clothes that followed it right after.

Time seemed to stop in that moment.

Only a shaky audible gasp escaped your lips before you covered it with both your hands to silence yourself. You backed away slowly from the sight that pierced your eyes, causing them to swell with tears. With wobbled knees, you did your best to make your way to the front door, having to rely on the wall to lean on as you had no strength to stand on your own. Your clumsy steps caused the frozen tears you had laying in your pockets to topple out, making them clink around the garments that decorated the floor. You didn’t care if they woke up at this point from the small racket you were causing. You doubted it anyway. The bottles by the bedside confirmed your assumptions. All you wanted was to leave the house, you felt like you were suffocating.

Once you stumbled onto the porch, your legs finally gave out from beneath you, and you collapsed onto the wood flooring, mouth agape. Your trembling hands clutched at your chest as your lungs felt as if it was struggling for air. It was hard to breathe. It _hurt_ to breathe. You felt the world around you spinning as you tried your best to stand back up again, but it was so hard. With each broken sob, you found yourself shuddering back onto the floor, crying into your hands as the image continued to flash in your mind.

You clumsily clutched onto the wooden beam beside you, doing what you could to regain your senses. But your efforts were in vain as your breathing became even more stuttered. You felt as if you were choking. The feeling of lightheadedness dominated your brain.

You know your body was going to give out. You felt yourself getting weaker and weaker with every shortened breath. Despite your current state, you ran as hard as you could barefoot to the clinics, tripping along the way. The wind blew mercilessly against your wet cheeks and the cold air that entered your lungs was making it even more difficult to breathe. Still, you managed to reach Harvey’s. With the little power you had left, you pounded on his door. His lights flickered on immediately, and the sounds of his feet hurriedly making his way to the entrance could be heard from outside. Once he opened it, he was surprised to see you in front of his clinic at this late of an hour.

“(Y/N)! Why are you-” but before he could finish his sentence you collapsed into his arms.

The doctor quickly caught your unconscious body and frowned with concern. His mouth opened, as if to chastise you, but closed as his eyes darted from wound to wound that adorned you from your time in the mines. Sighing, Harvey gently swept your body off your feet and carried you to one of the beds inside of the clinic before plopping down on one of the stools beside you. 

His frown only deepened as you continued to cry softly in your sleep.

\----

You woke up with a pounding headache and a heavy weight on your feet. You glanced down to find a snoring Harvey planted face down on the sheets. 

“H-hey Harvey,” you shook his shoulders gently. The doctor immediately bolted up straight and flusteredly wiped the bit of drool that was trailing from his mouth.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly before adjusting his glasses with a yawn. “Oh! (Y/N), how are you feeling? Apologies for falling asleep here, I was meaning to look after you until you woke up.”

“I’m feeling well….thank you.” You replied quietly. There was a bit of silence between the both of you to which you took the time to study your body. All your wounds were neatly tended to and bandaged. Your hands were still trembling, you couldn’t tell if it was from the pain. “I’m sorry for coming so late and waking you up. I-”

“Don’t worry about it, treating patients and being there for my friends is my job.” He offered a gentle smile and placed a hand on your shoulder. “I’m just grateful that you reached me before passing out somewhere in the snow. You would’ve gotten some nasty hypothermia - it was freezing!” The brunet stood up and made his way to the room across the hall. You then heard the sink faucet squeak and the clinking of glasses followed by the doctor’s soft humming.

You winced visibly as the memories flooded your head. Your eyes threatened to betray you with tears again as you fiddled with the pendant hanging from your neck. 

When Harvey stepped back inside, his humming stopped and he quickly stepped to your side. “You...Are you okay?” He asked, worriedly. 

“I’m fine, Harvey.” He handed you a glass of water, to which you took small sips of. The look of skepticism on his face gave you the message that he wasn’t satisfied with your answer. “The mines just really tired me out, that’s all.”

He still didn’t seem to buy it but sighed with defeat and nodded along nonetheless. “Alright, just be sure to go a bit easier on the mining next time, okay?”

Your phone buzzed softly in your pocket and you took it out with hesitance. Seeing the caller ID, you felt the panic begin to boil again within your chest. 

You took some deep breaths and mustered up the best smile you could. “...Okay.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _So I never really knew you  
>  God I really tried to  
> Blindsided, addicted  
> Thought we could really do this  
> But really I was foolish  
> Hindsight, it's obvious_   
>    
>  **\- Ashe | Moral of the Story**
> 
> \---
> 
> Hi! Chapter's gonna get split into two parts cos it had too many location/time splits woop. Thanks for reading if ya did!


	2. Chapter 1 [pt. 2]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Truthfully, I probably should've split this up into like a third part or at the very least divided part 1 and 2 differently but hindsight is only 20/20 y'know
> 
> So apologies if it feels a bit all over the place! It'll slow down after this chapter C: I just wanted to get it out of the way to start Sebastian's POV for chapter 2
> 
> **Warnings** : Near death experience

Harvey was kind enough to take the hint to leave the room, understanding your need for privacy once you looked over at him with your phone in hand. He smiled softly and gave a small nod before getting up to close the curtain divider.

“I’ll be upstairs if you need anything,” he motioned upwards to his apartment and turned his back to you to leave.

You murmured a small “thank you” and waited until you heard him disappear up the stairs to answer the call. With a hesitant shaky sigh, you pressed the green button.

“Honey!” You immediately heard when the call connected.

“Are you still at Harvey’s? I got a voicemail this morning, I should’ve been there sooner - I’m coming now.”

You wondered if the doctor tried to reach him as soon as you passed out at his front steps. A part of your brain sadly wandered to the thought of if he slept through it or chose to just let it go to voicemail instead.

“You can't. I-I can’t see you.”

Sebastian was silent for a moment. "What do you-"

“I need you out of the house, Sebastian"

A quivered breath was taken in from the other side of the call. “(Y/N)... Is everything okay?”

“Sebastian. I know. _I know_ , okay? I saw it all last night. Just please, please get out.” 

“Honey, I-” 

“You need to leave. I-I don’t think I can handle seeing you when I get home. Have all your things gone and out of the house before sunset. I’m sorry.” You finally hung up the phone and felt a bitter laugh escaping your lips.

Why did you apologize just now?

Why did you feel guilty?

Maybe you should’ve listened to what he had to say...

Your eyes lingered on his contact picture before you placed your cell down softly on the bed sheets. Once more, you found yourself clutching at your chest. It was starting to hurt again.

_I’m so stupid._

\----

You left a wad of cash behind the doctor’s front desk before taking your leave from the clinic. You weren’t sure how much you owed and, frankly, you weren’t in the mood for talking to anyone at the moment. Hopefully the amount you left should just about cover it. If not, Harvey could always just mail you the bill at a later time.

The spring air was thick with the smell of wet grass and the sounds of leaves rustling from the commotion of animals. Most of the snow had melted, leaving the pavement feeling smooth and slick under your bare feet as you walked across the square. Aside from the birds chattering, the town was quiet, as if they were still in hibernation from the season before.

It was nearly 10 a.m. yet you haven’t seen a single person. Perhaps it was better that way. You looked like a wreck and the last thing you needed was somebody checking up on you.

Your feet continued to wander, but you weren’t sure where they were trying to lead your body. Each destination you tried to head towards immediately made you stop in place - it was hard to sit in comfort anywhere when literally everywhere reminded you of him.

As much as you loved living in this small town, it being _this_ small felt as if it was trying to mock your suffering with your dwindling number of choices for a safe place to cry. 

Eventually, you found yourself at the abandoned Joja-Mart. The hollowed building loomed over you as you stared back at it. You still haven’t gotten used to how it looked without its flashy fluorescent lights - it was as if you were standing before the skeleton of a creature that was once living. Its blue painted walls had become chipped and cracked from its lack of maintenance, and the signs “closed” and “terminated” had permanently announced its death to the little town. 

Your hands rested on the wooden boards that fasted the entrance shut. You gave a few tugs that ended with no success.

“Alright,” you huffed, rolling up your dirtied sleeves. “If that’s how it’s gonna be…”

You tightened your grip on the boards and placed one foot firmly on the blocked entrance and flattened the other on the concrete pavement. Through gritted teeth, you pried at the wooden slabs. It was straining your body to continue using this much force - your wounds ached and pulsed as a plea to beg you to stop. It felt like hell, but you refused to quit. Feeling the nails loosen slightly at your efforts only encouraged you further.

Suddenly, you felt a heavy hand fall on your shoulder, causing you to shriek from the contact. Immediately, the person retracted and you could hear the sounds of shuffling as they backed away.

“S-sorry for scaring you (Y/N)!” You turned your head slightly and felt a sense of relief wash over you when your eyes fell upon familiar blond hair. You could see his eyes were taking in the scene you’ve made for yourself, and he gave you an amused quizzical look. 

“I just saw you here and, uh, wanted to know if you needed help with,” he gestured to the Joja-Mart door, “this.”

Heat began rushing to your face at the realization that you’d been caught in the act. You quickly jumped from where you stood and assumed the most casual stance you could. 

“Oh! Sam! I didn’t think you’d be here. I was just testin’ my strength against this door. I wasn't trying to get in or anything-” you rambled on.

He raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms knowingly.

_Shit._

“Yeah, no, I’m trying to get in.”

“Can I ask why?”

“No you may not.”

He hummed in response and thought to himself for a bit before placing both hands on his hips, throwing his head back to give a dramatic sigh. “Alright. Here, let me help.”

You opened your mouth to protest, but he was already marching towards the enclosed doorway before you could deny him. He placed a hand on your back and gently guided you with him, encouraging you to follow suit. Sam assumed the position you held earlier and stared at you until you reluctantly did the same. 

With his help, you both managed to pry the timber from where it was secured. With its support missing, the large wooden boards it held up creaked slowly and fell inwardly with a loud _thud_ \- causing plumes of dust to erupt into the air. 

You sneezed and coughed, shutting both your eyes to rub them vigorously from the irritation. When you opened them back up, Sam bowed with one hand behind his back. He gave a crooked grin as he gestured inside the abandoned store.

“Ladies first,” he jested in an attempt of a British accent.

With a faltered smile, you stepped inside feeling a tinge of disappointment.

 _So much for being alone_.

The blond strutted in after you and took a seat on one of the dilapidated counters. He whistled as he surveyed the room, taking in the sight that was his former job in ruins. 

“This place is a _dump_ ,” he emphasized with a pop of the ‘p’. “I have to admit, it’s a bit cathartic to see this place in ruins after all the bad memories.” He visibly shuddered.

Cathartic, huh?

You wondered if it would be cathartic if you saw Sebastian as a sobbing mess right now. Would it make you feel better? Is that a sadistic thought?....

Sam noticed you fiddling with your marriage pendant at your neck, a frown plastered on your face. His brows furrowed slightly with concern as he tugged at his collar. 

“(Y/N),” he began softly, voiced laced with worry. “Are you okay?”

You jolted from your thoughts and clasped at your necklace, holding it tightly in your fist. Its cold exterior felt like it was burning in your hand. 

“Yes.”

He paused, the corners of his mouth pulled downward as he contemplated your reply. “Did something happen between you and Sebastian?”

You must’ve given him the reaction he was expecting as the blond didn’t seem surprised when you winced at his name. His eyes were watching you, they seemed to take note of each of your timid movements. You wanted to shrink under his analytical gaze.

Sam knew you like a book, back-to-back. He was one of the first friends you made in Pelican Town when you first moved here. His chipper nature was so inviting to you as a newcomer. Although now you considered yourself on great terms with most of the town, admittedly it was the blond who you considered your best friend among them all.

So, while it was fairly easy to slip away from Harvey, you were fairly certain you couldn’t lie your way out of this one. He was too caring for your own good.

You took a shaky breath as you looked to meet his eyes. “Sebastian… and Abigail. They were-” your mouth began to stutter. You felt your chest pound again at the memory. 

“T-t-they,” you gasped out again. It was getting difficult to continue speaking. Each word seemed to refuse to leave your jaws. “Th -* _hic*_ \- ey... w-were.”

You didn’t notice it until warm tears fell upon your hands that you were crying again. You panicked at the realization and hurriedly wiped at your stained cheeks, frustrated with yourself. 

Sam looked at you intently, not knowing what to make out of your incomplete sentences. He watched as you tried to will yourself to stop your small sobs. It made his heart ache.

Jumping up from the counter, he immediately moved over to you to pull you into a hug. As you cried softly into his chest, he gently stroked comforting circles into your back. He was beating himself up for prying in too deep. He should’ve left it alone - he already saw how pained you looked from before. 

“Why don’t I call up Sebastian for you?” Your cries had halted at his words. He couldn’t see your expression but he continued to proceed, assuming that you were considering his suggestion when in reality your anxiety spiked up again. 

“Whatever happened between the both of you, I’m sure you could talk it out! You kept mentioning how you felt like there was some tension between you two - so I think you should finally take charge and address it!” 

With a free hand, he reached into the back of his pants’ pocket to retrieve his phone. As soon as he did, you felt a surge of panic course through you. Your face twisted into a horrified expression and you thrusted your hands out against his chest - forcibly shoving him away. He stared at you, shocked and confused, searching your eyes for some kind of explanation. 

Your breathing had grown ragged again, and any words that you wanted to say to him became muddled in your head. You’d taken several steps back away from him before turning on your heel out the entrance.

“(Y/N)!” He yelled after you, but you were either too far gone or just refused to acknowledge his calls. 

Sam slumped his shoulders as he stared at his phone and ran his other hand through his hair, trying to make sense of your behavior. 

_What the hell happened between them?_ He thought to himself, exasperated.

\----

You ran and you ran as fast as your legs could carry you. Your heart felt as if it was beating several beats a second. A part of you felt an immense amount of guilt for just leaving Sam there, he looked hurt and confused, but you panicked as soon as he mentioned calling Sebastian over to talk. Your body had unwillingly moved on its own, and before you knew it you were out past the door, feet hitting the wet pavement.

The clear sky that was present in the early morning had turned a dull grey while you were inside the Joja-Mart. The heavy clouds that hung overhead began to greet you with fat droplets that dotted your clothes with water - the rain that hit your face mixed with the salty tears.

When you came to, you found yourself planted at the railroad, staring blankly in front of you. Your lungs were still heaving, trying to regain itself after your sudden sprint, and you uncurled your fists after you felt a slight sting from your nails breaking skin. 

The rain had picked up now and was mercilessly pounding against your body. You looked up towards the sky and wondered if Yoba was trying to test you.

You laughed bitterly to yourself, loud enough to be heard over the rain. 

_I must look so fucking pathetic right now._

Once more, your legs began marching forward. They slowly came to a halt on the train tracks and you wondered if you should try your luck to hop on a car and never come back. 

Everyone was sure to find out what had happened eventually. It’s a small town afterall, and word gets around. You could only imagine the amount of embarrassment that you would feel once the affair gets leaked. In hindsight, it must’ve been obvious to everyone else but you that Sebastian probably wasn’t happy. You were too wrapped up in trying to please him that you’d never even noticed what was going on behind pursed lips.

You felt like an utter fool, a complete joke. You weren’t sure if you’d be able to handle the pitiful looks you’d get in the square, or how you’d react to the hushed whispers you’d see from the corner of your eyes.

The train siren blared in warning with its approach, but your mind was too numb to even hear it, much less the shouts that were coming across from you. 

When you finally broke free from your trance, you found yourself frozen in front of the oncoming train like a deer caught in the headlights. Despite your inner pleas, the one time you wanted your body to move, it didn’t seem to want to listen. How painfully ironic.

You could see the papers now: “Woman Flings Herself in Front of Train After Tragic Heartbreak”

A firm grip tugged at your arm, pulling you roughly to the side out of harm’s way of the train. You peered up to see violet hair that framed a deep scowl on their face. You were about to panic until you realized that it was just Mr. Rasmodius from the tower in the woods. 

“You! Could you not hear me shouting?! You could’ve gotten gravely hurt!” The wizard angrily scolded you.

Despite being yelled at, you were still relieved to see him. You stuttered out the best “thank you” you could manage to the man and pushed behind some dampened locks behind your ear. You must’ve clearly still been shaken up since his furrowed eyebrows finally softened and his chastising had ceased. He exhaled deeply and released his grip from your arm. 

“Are you hurt?”

You shook your head and he seemed satisfied enough with that answer. 

You sat on the muddy ground, not caring about your clothes, and took some deep breaths to finally calm yourself. The both of you sat in a comfortable silence and listened to the rain for a while. Occasionally, he would glance over at you, as if he wanted to ask you something but instead decided to keep it to himself. You looked exhausted. 

“Mr. Rasmodius?” You began, breaking the silence.

“Yes?” 

“What are you doing out here?” You asked.

“I could ask you the same thing,” he laughed.

“I mean, you never leave your tower, much less in this kind of weather.”

He nodded, “that is true.” He tilted his head to the side, slightly, gesturing over to a tunnel entrance beside him. 

_Was that always open? You could’ve sworn there was some kind of box with feet standing there._

The wizard sauntered over and placed a hand on the rocky wall, sadly sighing as he thumbed the edges of the opening to the cave. “I have some business to attend here…”

You nodded your head, signaling for him to further explain himself. He scratched the back of his head and gave a slight frown, “I don’t want to trouble you with it, (Y/N).”

“I don’t exactly have anywhere else I’d rather be,” you replied, shrugging your shoulders.

He closed his mouth, lips forming a thin line as he contemplated before finally giving in.

You listened intently as he explained what had happened between him and his ex-wife. He told you of how she turned green in a fit of anger and envy over what he described as the ‘stupidest mistake of his life’ that he made many years ago. Now, he needed to retrieve his magic ink that was stashed away in her hut. But he found himself hesitant as soon as he approached the cave entrance, not knowing how to face her after everything, after all those years apart.

“I can get it for you,” you blurted out after he finished his tale. 

Rasmodius was surprised at first but his mouth turned into a thankful smile. “Really? I would be so appreciative if you do. I’ll be sure to make it up for you, my dear.”

“Of course.” You needed to get your mind off of other things anyway. Helping people always made you feel better when you felt like crap. 

“Marvelous! Here’s what you need to do…”

\----

You regretted your offer to help as soon as the uneasiness hit when you stepped on the glowing circle within the cave. 

It transported you to a place that seemed unattached to the earthly realm. You found yourself in a foul-smelling swamp that was surrounded by a never-ending blackness, a void. This was way worse than the mines.

You took a glimpse into the water that surrounded the thin stretch of land where you stood and saw murky shadows swimming beneath its surface.You jumped back immediately as soon as you realized there were a pair of eyes watching you within the depths.

“In and out, in and out, in and out,” you chanted to yourself as you quickly turned your body to the witch’s hut in front of you. 

You did your best to ignore the feeling that you were being watched from beyond the void, and you definitely tried even harder to disregard the fact that there were human skulls plastered on the front of the hut as decoration.

Placing your ear carefully to the door, you listened to see if you could hear any commotion within the home. It was eerily quiet, aside from the creaking of old floorboards. 

Afterwards, you peered into the window on the front door and found the hut empty of its inhabitant.

Hesitantly, you twisted the golden door knob slowly and entered the house of the witch. Inside, it wasn’t all too big - probably a little roomier than the shed you had back on the farm. The interior was lit dimly by three ominous candles that loomed over three stone statues at the end of the room. Each of the statues’ eyes were brightly glowing, highlighting the threatening presence you felt from their menacing faces. 

On your right, the witch had several flasks lined on a small desk along with a dusty bone. You weren’t sure if it had once belonged to a human or not. On closer inspection of one of the flasks, you realized that the object suspended in the blue, murky fluid was in fact an eyeball. You quickly averted your gaze, afraid it would meet yours to make eye contact.

On your left, you noticed a purple ink jar sitting on top of a wooden table. Your hand quickly stretched out to reach for it, wanting to be out of the hut as quickly as you can, but before you could grasp onto it, the door you’d left open flung shut. All but the middle candle blew out from the sudden gust of wind, forcing your eyes to adjust to the dark.

“You pitiful girl.” You heard a voice from behind the middle statue. Freezing in place, you turned your head panickedly to find its source in the darkened room. “Helping out such a pitiful man.”

Finally, your eyes landed upon another’s - a pair of which shined softly like emeralds. The witch stepped out from the shadow of the statue with a hand placed on her hip.

You were surprised. Even in the faint light, you could see how beautiful she was. Although she was colored green, her features were sharp yet delicate, reminding you of a feline. She had a bit of crow's feet around her eyes which you assumed were from age. Without them, you wouldn’t have been able to guess how old she was.

“I-I’m sorry for coming in, I just needed to retrieve this-” you motioned over to the ink jar but it had disappeared from the table. When you looked up back at her again, she was holding it within her clawed hands, studying it as if she was intrigued.

“Ah, the ink. So that coward asked you to fetch it for him.” Her tone was heavy with disgust upon the mere mention of the wizard. 

You stumbled backwards, hand behind you as you frantically searched for the doorknob. She stopped feigning interest in the jar and instead turned her head towards you once she heard your fumbling. You took in a gulp as your eyes locked together - it was like she was going to pounce on her prey.

Within a blink, she vanished from your sight, leaving behind wisps of smoke. Then, in an instant, she reappeared once more, directly in front of you with her hand outstretched towards your body.

You closed your eyes shut, bracing for whatever she was going to do to you. So, when she gently took your hand in hers, you weren’t sure how to react.

“I can sense your pain,” she murmured in a low voice. 

You opened your eyes slowly. They were met by the witch’s, who held her face only a few centimeters away from yours. The longer you stared, the more you could see the sadness hiding within the green. “I know it all too well.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“I know of the pain that subsides within your heart. You’re practically wearing it on your sleeve.” As if on reflex, your hand that clutched that doorknob was brought up to your grip the pendant that hung loosely on your neck. 

“What if I told you I can make those feelings disappear?” You glanced up at her. “You’ll forget it all.”

“Forget...” You repeated after her. “All of it? How?”

“With a bit of magic, of course.” She gestured over to the statue behind her with her free hand, it seemed to stare back at you expectantly. “All the memories you shared, good and bad, will be gone. It’d be like you never met.”

With your other hand still in hers, she started to guide you to the end of the room in front of the tall stone figure that peered down at you. 

“But, I don’t have much money or anything on me I can’t-”

“It’s free of charge.” She dismissed, cutting you off. You stared into her eyes, skeptical, searching for some kind sign that this was all a trick.

“Why would you do this for me?”

The witch paused and stared down at your hand, stroking it gently. “You remind me of myself. In fact, it’s almost laughable how the daughter of the same woman that ruined me had caused fate to turn you to my door. I can’t help but want to help you - to alleviate some of that pain.”

You continued searching her face for any indication that she might be lying, but found that she was genuine in her words. 

You thought about her proposition and bit your lip. 

_No, this was crazy. I can’t just throw it all away._ You rationalized to yourself. The pendant in your hand seemed to burn hotter now more than ever.

_I can still fix this._

A memory of Sebastian flooded your head. You were both at the Stardrop Saloon - you just had missed the cue ball terribly, causing the raven-haired man to throw his head back laughing. He was so lively...The image made your heart flutter.

_I can still fix us. It’s my fault..._

You remembered a more recent memory of him. He was staring out the window of your shared home back at the farm. When you called his name from the kitchen, he looked back at you with such a sad smile.

_I can…_

“Will it affect him too?” You asked, breaking the silence.

The witch was hesitant to answer, but she slowly nodded her head in response. “Like you never met, my dear.”

You took in a deep breath and finally let go of your pendant in hand. “I’ll do it.”

  
  
  


_This is for the better._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOP. Long one. Anyway thanks for readin! 
> 
> Like I said, it'll slow down from here, just bear with me I promise! Reader is gonna get a break for a bit while we finally get to explore Sebastian's pov! I made him seem terrible, aha. Maybe it'll change, maybe it won't~ It definitely might be a bIT OOC we'll see.
> 
> Sam is a good boy trying his best.


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